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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24363592">Defining the Fall</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anannua/pseuds/Anannua'>Anannua</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalSurvivor/pseuds/EternalSurvivor'>EternalSurvivor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Canon Compliant, Collaboration, First Crush, First Kiss, Fluff, KakaYama Week 2020, M/M, Prompt: Mutual Pining, what is love?, with art</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:23:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,087</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24363592</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anannua/pseuds/Anannua, https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalSurvivor/pseuds/EternalSurvivor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Senpai, what does falling in love feel like?”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hatake Kakashi/Yamato | Tenzou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>148</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Defining the Fall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This little one-shot is a collaboration between the amazingly sweet Anannua and me for KakaYama Week 2020 over on Tumblr! I wrote the story, she did the adorable art. &lt;3 You can find all her artwork on her tumblr <a href="https://anannua.tumblr.com/">here</a>. The artwork belongs to her. Please don't repost it.</p><p>This is for Day Seven under the Prompt: Mutual Pining, even though it's from Tenzou's perspective so we don't really get to see the "mutual" part a whole lot. Ah ha ha... </p><p>Regardless, we both enjoy. &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Senpai, what does falling in love feel like?” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>The question may have caught him off guard, but it was honestly quite hard to tell where Kakashi was concerned. Senpai kept a firm hold on his facial expressions and an even tighter one on his heart. Sometimes Tenzou wondered what happened to make him so… not jaded. No, that wasn’t the right word for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cautious maybe? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew about Rin Nohara’s death and about the sharingan resting beneath Kakashi’s hitai-ate. Two pieces weren’t enough to put the puzzle together, however.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe someday his senpai would share a few more pieces with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until then, Kakashi hid the trauma of his history behind eye smiles and a bright orange book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was fine, really.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzou wasn’t particularly good at judging emotions (his own or others') anyways. Not yet at least. Practice and observation made it easier, but neither were easily obtained in ANBU. Not where the anonymity of masks and aliases replaced faces and names. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was better than ROOT.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(That set the bar pretty low.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mah...” Kakashi's head cocked to the side in contemplation, effectively pulling Tenzou from his wandering thoughts. Wild, silver hair shifted with the motion and Tenzou’s attention caught on the short strands by Senpai’s nape. They curled slightly, though Kakashi didn’t seem to notice. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> quite an insignificant detail. “What brought this on all of a sudden?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzou stared down at his sandals, arms hugging a bit tighter around his knees. “Nothing in particular.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you thought I might have an answer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzou dug his heel into the grass. “You always give helpful feedback when I need it, Senpai.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A gloved hand ruffled his hair, knocking his happuri askew. “You’ll never learn if I leave you with unanswered questions.” Kakashi stretched out at Tenzou’s side, his single, grey eye trained on the blue sky above. “Still, you shouldn’t rely so heavily on my knowledge and nothing else. I don’t know everything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzou didn’t particularly agree with that, but arguing the point would get him nowhere. Instead, he acquiesced with a nod. “My apologies, Senpai.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mah, it’s fine.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A comfortable silence fell between them for a while. Tenzou stretched out at Kakashi’s side. It was a beautiful day. Late spring, sunny and warm, with a slight crispness still in the air and a light breeze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of watching the sky, Tenzou watched the ANBU captain at his side. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>It wasn’t often Kakashi relaxed like this. Tension bled from his shoulders, hands resting behind his head, face soft, content... </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Curiosity persisted in the back of his mind. Kakashi avoided an explanation, but Tenzou truly, genuinely, wanted to know. “So, um... What is it like? Falling in love?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Senpai glanced over to him. For a moment, Kakashi's visible eyes locked with his own. “Well, how do I put this?” He began slowly, as if stalling to gather his thoughts and formulate a proper reply. “I guess it’s a really loud feeling you can’t ignore. Like you need to scream to get rid of the pressure it builds up in your chest, but the urge remains even after you do...”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Kakashi trailed off. His mask contorted in a way that told Tenzou he was grimacing. Senpai did that sometimes when he couldn’t quite find the words he needed. “Maybe it’s more like a burning from deep inside. Always there. Persistent and irritating. Like you can’t stop thinking about or watching that precious person. It lingers in a way that feels almost uncomfortable, but it’s not. Or maybe it is?” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Senpai shrugged his shoulders. “More than anything, I’d say it’s an overwhelming desire to see them happy. Even if that happiness is at your expense or doesn't include you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzou pressed a hand over his heart, rubbing where a dull ache had begun to form. Is that really what falling in love felt like? “That... sounds unpleasant and rather stressful, Senpai.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly uncomfortable, Kakashi looked back up at the sky. “I’m not the best person to explain this. I’ve never been in a relationship.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...You haven’t?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kakashi shook his head. “Loving people hurts, Kohai. It leaves you vulnerable and raw. When it’s taken away, you’re never quite the same again.” His hand covered his hitai-ate, fingers clutching around the edges of the metal. “Love changes a person.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ache in Tenzou’s chest throbbed dully. “I see.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kakashi dropped his hand back to the grass. “Sometimes it’s for the better, though.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzou’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “It doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>sound</span>
  </em>
  <span> like the change is positive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, sometimes it is. You’ll just have to trust me on that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you just said you weren’t the best person to explain love, Senpai.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mah…” Sighing softly, Kakashi ran a hand through his hair. His gloves fingers caught on the edges. Tenzou’s heart did a weird double-pound as he watched his senpai work them free. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His cheeks tingled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The feeling lingered, loud, persistent and confounding. Like a weight he couldn't quite pinpoint. Tenzou pressed the heel of his palm into his chest, directly over the strange ache. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Directly over his heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The heaviness there rolled down into his stomach the longer he watched Kakashi shift uncomfortably at his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzou swallowed hard. Emotions were complicated and learning curves steep. He needed to observe more people to better understand this peculiar reaction-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want to know if you’re falling in love with someone or not? Just kiss them, Tenzou. That's a surefire way to tell."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at Kakashi, eyes wide and face suddenly burning. This was such a lovely day. Not too hot, not too cold. A rare day to relax and enjoy each others’ company. So why did he suddenly feel so hot? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hashirama-sama’s cells prevented him from getting sick. How strange. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzou licked his lips. “...Kiss them, Senpai?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is that… really all he had to do? All the unpleasant complications Kakashi tried to explain could be proven or dismissed with just one gesture? Would it clarify his strange reaction too?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If they reciprocate, then your feelings are returned. Simply enough, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed to Tenzou like that was the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> simple thing about falling in love. But Kakashi never led him astray. He knew best. Why would this be any different? “Yes, Senpai.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiss someone to find out if he was falling in love with them or not. Tenzou's eyes focused on the dark fabric covering Kakashi's mouth. Okay. That was simple enough. It was worth a shot. He could kiss his senpai.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, that’s exactly what Tenzou did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    
  </span>
</p>
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